4 Enduring Teachings from a Dearly Departed Energy Healer

{Read the full, original post on Elephant Journal.}I pulled four Tarot cards that embody some of Kirsten's greatest teachings and have included several quotes below from the book she gifted me, The Mythic Tarot by Juliet Sharman-Burke and Liz Greene.May these symbols and messages be of benefit.Ace of Cups“The Ace of Cups heralds an outpouring of feeling, although this feeling has not yet differentiated and emerges as raw, vital and often overwhelming. The individual is ready to embark on the journey of love.”Allow—Kirsten would enunciate the word with devotion, humor, and wise knowing.Alllll-ow.Allow, more than accept. Let it be, more than let it go. Allow feelings to flow, to come and go. Don’t resist, reject, or deny, lest those intense, ignored emotions get buried in the body, in the muscles and viscera, to be dealt with in a more difficult manner later.Knight of Cups“Often the Knight augurs a proposal of marriage, or an experience of falling in love. Sometimes, on another level, he implies an artistic proposition, a relationship of another kind which is no less exalted and idealistic.”

Kirsten once told me the remarkable story of how she met and married her first husband—and how they separated and divorced and eventually married again.She was a woman who loved life and loved herself. This was clear from the essence of her being. She was incredibly present and had that rare ability to make everyone feel special and deserving of being heard.Her highest form of art was how she lived, the way she moved, and how she spoke and comfortably embraced silence. We could all aspire to be more like that: here, now, loving, listening, creating.Eight of Wands“The Eight of Wands heralds a period of action after delay or struggle. Travel is sometime implied, or a clear stretch of fruitful activity, where the imagination flows unchecked after anxieties and tensions have been overcome or resolved.”The imagery of this card, a ship in full sail with dolphins playing in its wake, is appropriate for Kirsten, who was a voyager, someone who sailed across the ocean with her partner in her younger days.Born in Denmark, she was a graceful global citizen who split her time between Australia and Guatemala, with many stops in between. May we all cultivate the buoyancy and confidence that this card represents on our journey through life.Temperance“Iris, guardian of the rainbow, suggests the potential for harmony and cooperation resulting in a good relationship or happy marriage. We are challenged with the issue of learning to develop a balanced heart.”By the time I met Kirsten, she was in her late 60s and the epitome of balance—always looking sharp, balanced, and poised, yet calm and relaxed. Grounded, yet connected to the sky.She had learned to develop a balanced heart, not too open or closed, just right. And she taught others—subtly, intuitively—through the example of her own life, how to cultivate a balanced heart, and how to stay centered, compassionate, and present, regardless of the circumstances.My life is better for having known her.Thank you, beloved friend. I love you. May you be free.